Checkbook holder



P ZZ 1943- w. P. EXLINE 2,317,748

CHECKBOOK HOLDER Filed Feb. 15, 1943 Patented Apr. 27, 1943 UNITED STATES ATENT QFFIQE CHECKBOOK HOLDER William P. Exline, Shaker Heights, Ohio, assignor to William Exline, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation 2' Claims.

This invention relates to an improved form of pocket checkbook holder, or cover, and particularly to novel means for maintaining the holder or cover in closed condition.

As is well known, the ordinary type of holder or cover is formed of a flexible body member adapted to receive in a suitable pocket or opening therein, the tongue of a checkbook filler. When properly folded, the cover or holder occupies a relatively small space, and in order to retain the same in closed condition, a snap fastener is used. However, under present day circumstances, since the metal for snap fasteners is no longer available, it has been necessary to provide other means to maintain the holder or cover in closed condition.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide novel means for retaining the cover or holder of the invention in closed condition.

It is a further object of thi invention to so construct the holder or cover as to provide a wedging action on the part of certain portions of the said holder, whereby the closed condition is maintained.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple form of loop or strap member readily manipulatable to attain the desired closed condition of the said cover or holder.

Other and more particular objects will be apparent in the following specification, and a preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the drawing, although it is not desired that the invention be limited other than by the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the holder showing the same in closed condition, without a checkbook filler in place therein.

Figure 2 discloses the holder of Figure 1, with a checkbook filler within the body of the holder.

Figure 3 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the construction of the 010- sure means of the holder.

Referring now to the drawing, and generally to Figure 1, the cover or holder is shown as being comprised of a rear body section I and a front body section 2, flexibly connected together as at 3, and being provided with a flap 4, flexibly connected at 5, to the front member 2. A suitable loop or strap member 6 is provided and constructed, as will be hereinafter disclosed, adapted to be operated in a manner to retain the cover or holder in closed condition. The said loop or strap 6 is capable of sliding movement adjacent the free end I of the article.

In order to more particularly disclose the novel construction of the invention, Figure 3. is here referred to. The body of the holder is constructed of fabric and cardboard or fibre, the said fabric being formed in suitable strips, 8 for the outer portion of the body, and as indicated at 9, for the inner portion of the body, these strips being continuous from one end of the said body to the other.

Adjacent the ends of the strip members 8 and 9, which form the rear body member I, the said strips are fastened by suitable adhesive to cardboard backer or backing members l0 and II, the strip 8 being fastened to the member [0 and the strip 9 to the member I l.

The end of the strip 8 is folded over the end of the backer member I8, and suitably fixed to the inner side thereof, as at l2. Similarly, the strip 9 is folded over the end of the backer H, and fastened to the inner side of the said strip as at 13. A pocket M i formed thereby, when the edges of the strips 8 and 9 are fastened together in any well known manner, as by folding the edges of the strip 8 over the edges of the backer members Ii), H and I5, and gluing or otherwise securing the same to the inner surface of the strip 9 along the edges thereof, in accordance with well known practise.

In order to provide the flexible connection at 3, the strips 8 and 9 are brought into contact and suitable adhesive placed therebetween. The front body member 2 is formed by gluing or otherwise securing the strip 8 and 9 at opposite sides of a backer member, or backing member 15, and at the end E6 of said member are brought into contact and suitably glued or otherwise fastened together thereby to form the flexible connection 5.

It will be noted that the flap 4 is in reality a continuation of the flexible connection 5. The loop or strap member 6 is formed of fabric similar to that used for the inner and outer covering of the body, and is of a continuous construction, the said loop being retained in its various operative positions on the rear body member I by means of a keeper I? formed of fabric, or the like, fastened at 18 to the inner strip 9 of the body member, the said keeper being folded over the end of the backer member II, and fastened as at l9 to the inner surface thereof.

It will, therefore, be seen that the strap or loop 6 is prevented from being displaced with respect to the rear body member I, but is permitted to slide to and from the free end 1 thereof.

As shown in Figure 3, will be seen that a tongue 20 fastened to the stubs 2! of the checkbook filler, has been introduced into the pocket formed by the members l0 and H, the stubs themselves being closely adjacent the keeper H.

In order to more clearly explain the wedging action of the various members just described, it should be noted that at the free end I of the said rear body member I, the layers or number of thicknesses of the material are relatively greater than those comprising the body member as a whole, by reason of the inwardly folded ends of the respective fabric strips 8 and 9, and the keeper IS, in addition to the insertion in the pocket 14 of the tongue 20, carried by the check stubs 2|.

Therefore, if we assume that the loop or strap 6 is in the dotted line position shown in Figure 3, and the flap 4 has been brought into the position shown therein, upon movement of the strap 6 to the left, increasing frictional engagement of the saidstrap with the flap 4 will be effected by reasonof the various layers of material comprising the outer end of the body member I.

It should also be noted that the movement of the-strap or loop 6 toward" the left further causes a frictional engagement of the free portion ofthe keeper H with the strap portion confined thereby, as enhanced by the presence of the checks and check stubs interiorly of the cover or holder, and, therefore, a novel coaction has been set forth, which, in conjunction with the wedging action of the end of the body member I, maintains the flap 4 in position so as to close the cover or holder, and maintain the same in closed condition.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. A checkbook holder, or the like, in combination, flexibly connected front and rear body members, a flap connected to said front body member, the rear body member being of wedgelike construction at its free end, and a loop to receive the said flap, slidable toward and from said free end whereby when the flap is moved into a position adjacent the rear body member, movement of the loop toward the free end thereof will efiect wedging engagement of said flap and member.

2. A holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wedge-like construction of the rear body member includes a pocket to receive the tongue of a check filler stub, and a keeper for the loop is provided toprevent displacement of the loop from the rear body member.

WILLIAM P. EXLINE. 

